


Haunting Of Serenity

by Neroli66



Category: Firefly
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Rayne-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-24
Updated: 2005-10-24
Packaged: 2019-09-15 14:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16935174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neroli66/pseuds/Neroli66
Summary: First time he saw her was a couple days after the shooting. He’d just finished working out and she walked, no, floated into the cargo bay and sat down across from Kaylee.





	Haunting Of Serenity

**Author's Note:**

> One tiny little ‘Serenity’ reference. Written for [](https://rayne-shippers.livejournal.com/profile)[](https://rayne-shippers.livejournal.com/)**rayne_shippers**

First time he saw her was a couple days after the shooting. He’d just finished working out and she walked, no, floated into the cargo bay and sat down across from Kaylee.

She seemed to glow from within and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Not that he ever could, but he used to deceive himself into thinking that was because he didn’t trust her not to kill them all. Now he had to admit it had always been because he liked watching her. Keeping an eye on the crazy girl had just been his excuse.

Because it had been wrong wanting her, she was too young, too damaged, too pure for the likes of him. But it didn’t matter now. Nothing could ever come of it so he was free to watch her as much as he wished now.

And she watched him back, those big, solemn eyes following him wherever he went. It was amazing how clear her eyes were, even from across the room he could see the pale gold flecks that lightened the otherwise dark brown.

Her pale skin seemed even more translucent then ever, like she was slowly fading out of view. The thought scared him something fierce and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Seeing her was the only bright spot in his day and he wasn’t sure what he’d do if she faded away on him.

The only part of her he ever wanted to fade away was the bright red spot covering her chest. But it was only there when he let his thoughts get to close to the memory.

He could sit there for hours and just stare at her with her gazing serenely back.

He just wished she’d smile at him once, just once. She never had smiled much but when she did the whole ‘verse had lit up around her. They’d been a bit more common after Miranda, but still agonizingly rare.

And maybe that she’d touch him; one time, when he’d passed close by, her hand had lifted slowly from her lap and nearly brushed against his leg. It was the only time she hadn’t been looking straight at him.

But she’d let it drop back down before it made contact and tilted her head up to look at him with the saddest eyes he’d ever seen. And her eyes had always been sad, even in her craziest moments.

He’d felt the urge to brush the soft, silky hair off her face; but the fear of putting his hand right through her stopped him.

So he knew why she hadn’t finished reaching out to him, didn’t make the loss of her hand less. One barrier had come down between them but another had come up in its place. One they had no hope of ever bridging.

He could feel her presence growing stronger and knew that she’d come into view soon. He always knew when she was nearby.

But this time she didn’t pass him and go to the other end of the cargo bay to watch him. This time she stopped right beside him, looking down at him while he sat on his workbench.

He forced his eyes up past the red, sticky mess covering her. Willing it to go away with all his might, but it just wavered for a moment before it solidified again. She didn’t seem to notice it, she never did.

The universe seemed suspended as her right hand lifted gracefully to his face. She let it hover there for a moment before she gently laid it across where his cheek should be.

Slowly, she let her fingers trail lightly into whatever matter it was he was made of now. Her warmth the only thing he could cling too. Odd that, he knew in life he would have been the warm to her cold.

“My Knight in Shining Armor,” she said softly. “My forever protector.”

All he could do was gaze hopelessly up at her, trying desperately not to remember the burn of the bullet as it passed through his body before entering hers.

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge Month: October/Halloween


End file.
